Motsepe's revolving door now a model of stability

Motsepe has been in charge since 2003 after buying a 51% controlling stake of the club from the Tsichlas family.
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GALLO IMAGES

They say patience is a virtue and this will ring true to Mamelodi Sundowns boss Patrice Motsepe who's no longer trigger happy when it comes to the hiring and firing of coaches at the club.

Motsepe has been in charge since 2003 after buying a 51% controlling stake of the club from the Tsichlas family.

He took total control the following year.

Despite spending big on players and bringing in foreign coaches, Motsepe didn't help his cause by firing one coach after another in his early years at Chloorkop.

Sundowns had more than 10 coaches between 2003 and 2012 [see sidebar], but only won four trophies in that period. They have won six, including the CAF Champions League title, under Mosimane who has been in charge for five years now.

Former captain Themba Mnguni has expressed his delight at the current situation and believes the team can deliver more in future.

"It's been good that there has been no chopping and changing [of the technical team]. Those things destabilise the team," Mnguni told Sowetan yesterday. "The other thing is that I think they are getting the right type of players that they want."

True to Mnguni's word, Sundowns used to make a raft of signings that didn't particularly fit in with the team's style of play, but all that has changed under the guidance of Mosimane.

"I believe the signings suit the philosophy and culture of the club. For me, the technical team is top class. I can't ask for more," continued Mnguni.

He added that the current stability at the club augurs well for their future, especially if Mosimane and his technical team are retained for the next few years.

Motsepe suggested recently that Mosimane is likely to stay longer, because he wants him to be the Alex Ferguson of Mamelodi Sundowns. Ferguson was in charge of Manchester United for 27 years before his retirement in 2013.

"There is nothing that will please me more, personally, than for Pitso to stay here for a long time. That's when a club can reap the benefits of that experience," Motsepe was quoted as saying.